All right, Sox fans! Here's a trip down memory lane! Can you name the Sox first-round bust pictured at left? Sad to say, but if you can, you don't win any special prize. Sorry. But I will be impressed with your knowledge of the team.
Today has been a rainy, cruddy day in Aurora. There isn't much going on in sports, and for whatever reason, we got to talking about bad draft picks here in the newsroom. The Sox have had their share over the last 20 years.
I'm pretty sure their 2008 pick, Gordon Beckham, is going to have a good big-league career. I have hopes for 2007 pick Aaron Poreda, too. But the 1990s were a bleak time for Sox first-round draft choices.
From 1987-1990, the Sox had an incredible run. Those were the four years they selected Jack McDowell, Robin Ventura, Frank Thomas and Alex Fernandez. That worked out pretty well, as those players formed the core of winning Sox teams in the early 1990s.
But from 1991-2000, the Sox selected Scott Ruffcorn, Eddie Pearson, Scott Christman, Mark Johnson, Jeff Liefer, Bobby Seay, Jason Dellaero, Robert Wells, Jason Stumm, Matt Ginter and Joe Borchard.
Wow, what a terrible list. Seven of those guys did make the big leagues, including six who played for the Sox. But not a single one became a regular player. You would think just by dumb luck one of those guys would have panned out.
Since 2001, the Sox have chosen Kris Honel, Royce Ring, Brian Anderson, Josh Fields, Lance Broadway, Kyle McCulloch, Poreda and Beckham. A couple of those guys are busts. A couple of them are mediocre, and the jury is still out on most.
For a list of Sox picks since 1970, click here. Ron Karkovice is included!
Bobby Hill? or something like that
Negative. I don't believe Bobby Hill ever put on a White Sox uniform. He was originally drafted by the Sox, but he refused to sign. He went back into the draft, where he was selected by the Cubs. He later became a Cubs bust.
It wasn't all bad for the Cubs, though, as Hill was one of the players traded to Pittsburgh for Aramis Ramirez. That's worked out OK for the Cubs.
The Pirates haven't had 17 consecutive losing seasons for no good reason.
His name is Jason Dellaero. I believe he won a ton of defensive awards in every level he played in the minor leagues, and when they tried to convert him to a pitcher, he hurt his arm. He could throw a 97 mph fast ball without trying very hard. From what I remember, he had a lot of medical issues when he left.
Right you are, anonymous. It is Jason Dellaero.